I coached my son in youth football and it was sometimes hard but extremely rewarding. He is now in college and to this day his buds are always around that I coached and they call me by my coach name.

I was asked on Friday evening to help a friend who is coaching a junior high basketball team. They practice M-F from 3:15 - 5:30. I have never
coached a sport in my life, only played. I don't really have much of a rapport with kids in general but I base that off of my relationship with my
step son mostly and we have zero things in common so it is difficult and strained. Maybe it would be better with kids that have common interests,
in this case basketball. The time commitment to me initially seems like an awful lot, especially for kids that aren't mine and I don't know, but the
other part of me that my wife is trying to convince me of, is that this could be something good for me. I know some of you have or are currently
coaching. What made you take the plunge? Were you happy you did it? I am considering offering this guy 2-3 days a week and just see how it
goes, I am not being forced to stay if it doesn't work out or isn't my thing. Looking for some common sense advice for a coaching newbie. My
friend told me the kids never even won a game last year so it isn't like it is a high pressure situation or big expectations. Maybe helping a rebuild
of the program would be satisfying. I really value my free time outside of work so I am really on the fence.

Just try to make practice time as much fun as possible so it doesn't seem like a chore.

After a loss take them to Culvers and eat frozen custard in front of them.

The younger the kids the worse the job is. Because of the parents. Coaching your own kid also is tough on you and also tough on him or her. Again, because of the parents. The least fun I ever had in coaching was little league baseball and the equivalent in basketball.

It won't be so bad if you are the assistant, though. YOu can maybe find a few kids that actually want to learn something in their time with you. But if you are in charge, some advice.

1. Set some rules and boundaries such as: No coaching from the stands; no criticism of players from the stands including their own kids; no temper tantrums; etc.

2. Have a regular organized practice with set warm up exercise time adhered to. Make sure players get to practice and games on time with reduced playing time in games if they do not.

3. Do NOT transport players to practices or games. Too much liability at stake.

4. Have a mother attend all practices. Again. Too much liability at stake.

5. Sit players down if they act up. One alternative is to send them to their parents if they act up in a game. I am talking here about fighting with other guys, or throwing equipment, etc.

6. Have a parents only discussion early on in which you lay out the rules of both parental and child behavior. In other words, treat this like you were a teacher which in essence you really are.

7. Prepare for your practices and games. The more organized you are the better.

8. YOu can't do everything. Tell the kid what he needs to work on to get better and the parents also. Be honest. Some parents think that their kid is God's gift to the sport. Nothing wrong with that, I guess, but every kid can get better.

9. Don't take everything serious but don't take shit from anyone. You VOLUNTEERED for this right? Fuck em if they don't understand this!

4. Have a mother attend all practices. Again. Too much liability at stake.

I was asked on Friday evening to help a friend who is coaching a junior high basketball team. They practice M-F from 3:15 - 5:30. I have never
coached a sport in my life, only played. I don't really have much of a rapport with kids in general but I base that off of my relationship with my
step son mostly and we have zero things in common so it is difficult and strained. Maybe it would be better with kids that have common interests,
in this case basketball. The time commitment to me initially seems like an awful lot, especially for kids that aren't mine and I don't know, but the
other part of me that my wife is trying to convince me of, is that this could be something good for me. I know some of you have or are currently
coaching. What made you take the plunge? Were you happy you did it? I am considering offering this guy 2-3 days a week and just see how it
goes, I am not being forced to stay if it doesn't work out or isn't my thing. Looking for some common sense advice for a coaching newbie. My
friend told me the kids never even won a game last year so it isn't like it is a high pressure situation or big expectations. Maybe helping a rebuild
of the program would be satisfying. I really value my free time outside of work so I am really on the fence.

About twenty years ago, my friend Jerry who died was set to coach his grandson's team in Norridge Little League. The guys that ran the league had ranked all the players. Jerry's grandson was ranked as an eighth round draft choice which meant Jerry would lose his pick in the eighth round. Jerry was simultaneously miffed that his grandson was ranked so low and excited that all he would lose was an eighth rounder.

Jerry had previously coached his grandson at Hiawatha Park and a bunch of kids from Hiawatha were going over to play at Norridge because it was an actual Little League organization. I used to go watch the games sometimes before we would go out to the racetrack. Jerry and I figured we knew the Hiawatha players better than the goofs at Norridge did.

Anyway, Jerry had another guy from Hiawatha set to be his assistant coach. That meant Jerry had to draft his kid because you only got one protected player per team. There was a hard throwing motherfucker named Billy Rasch and Jerry and I agreed that he should be his first pick. Jerry planned to take the guy who was going to be his assistant's kid in the second round. I told him there was no way he should do that as the kid wasn't good enough to blow his second pick on. I insisted the kid would still be there for the third pick.

So they held the draft. It's all this cloak and dagger shit. Only one coach per team allowed in the room. Afterward I get a call from Jerry. He says, "Guess what, Branch Rickey. Somebody took my coach's kid in the second round. Now I have no fucking assistant. Practice is at 3:00 on Monday. I expect you to be there."

By the end of the season, I pretty much hated every one of the kids on that team.

If you tried talking to me like that on day 1, I would roundhouse your ass.

About twenty years ago, my friend Jerry who died was set to coach his grandson's team in Norridge Little League. The guys that ran the league had ranked all the players. Jerry's grandson was ranked as an eighth round draft choice which meant Jerry would lose his pick in the eighth round. Jerry was simultaneously miffed that his grandson was ranked so low and excited that all he would lose was an eighth rounder.

Jerry had previously coached his grandson at Hiawatha Park and a bunch of kids from Hiawatha were going over to play at Norridge because it was an actual Little League organization. I used to go watch the games sometimes before we would go out to the racetrack. Jerry and I figured we knew the Hiawatha players better than the goofs at Norridge did.

Anyway, Jerry had another guy from Hiawatha set to be his assistant coach. That meant Jerry had to draft his kid because you only got one protected player per team. There was a hard throwing motherfucker named Billy Rasch and Jerry and I agreed that he should be his first pick. Jerry planned to take the guy who was going to be his assistant's kid in the second round. I told him there was no way he should do that as the kid wasn't good enough to blow his second pick on. I insisted the kid would still be there for the third pick.

So they held the draft. It's all this cloak and dagger shit. Only one coach per team allowed in the room. Afterward I get a call from Jerry. He says, "Guess what, Branch Rickey. Somebody took my coach's kid in the second round. Now I have no fucking assistant. Practice is at 3:00 on Monday. I expect you to be there."

By the end of the season, I pretty much hated every one of the kids on that team.

I was asked on Friday evening to help a friend who is coaching a junior high basketball team. They practice M-F from 3:15 - 5:30. I have never
coached a sport in my life, only played. I don't really have much of a rapport with kids in general but I base that off of my relationship with my
step son mostly and we have zero things in common so it is difficult and strained. Maybe it would be better with kids that have common interests,
in this case basketball. The time commitment to me initially seems like an awful lot, especially for kids that aren't mine and I don't know, but the
other part of me that my wife is trying to convince me of, is that this could be something good for me. I know some of you have or are currently
coaching. What made you take the plunge? Were you happy you did it? I am considering offering this guy 2-3 days a week and just see how it
goes, I am not being forced to stay if it doesn't work out or isn't my thing. Looking for some common sense advice for a coaching newbie. My
friend told me the kids never even won a game last year so it isn't like it is a high pressure situation or big expectations. Maybe helping a rebuild
of the program would be satisfying. I really value my free time outside of work so I am really on the fence.

Still on the fence. Told my wife this morning that I was likely going to back out and she told me to hold out until I talked to her about it. She
seems to really think this is going to be very transformational for me. I'll let her make a final pitch before I decide.

I would coach baseball if I had a son...but since I don't, I'm good.

I would think golf would be your cup of T....Bone.

I would coach baseball if I had a son...but since I don't, I'm good.

I would think golf would be your cup of T....Bone.